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VOLUME 17 ISSUE 9
MAY 2008
4 OPINION
The staff shares its opinion on texting and its negative influence on communication and social skills.
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19 SPORTS
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FEATURE
Senior Tucker Vasey was accepted to play on Drake’s club tennis team. Read more on 19.
Learn about students’ creative alternatives for senior pictures.
THE BIG MOVE Piecing together the new with the old LAUREN GEHRKE staff writer KALLEN KRAMER staff writer The choral, band and some math classrooms have moved to the newly constructed areas. The math classrooms were displaced for the time being to begin renovations. This began May 5. “Our staff and students have been great with the transition,” principal Bruce Hukee said. “I think the effect has been minimal. I appreciate everyone’s flexibility.” Several teachers who moved to the new areas will have to move again as the rooms are completed. This will take place either in the summer by the custodians or the teachers themselves. The teachers are the only ones who will have to move until things are completed. Some teachers think they may get some help with the moving process. “We may order pizza and get students and parents to help set up things,” choir teacher Sarah Van Waardhuizen said. Next year’s departments will be grouped together by subject, which teachers like, but room layout technicalities have some teachers frustrated. “Architects have the plans in their mind and they go with it,” Pippert said. “Their plans don’t always go the best with the educators. It’d be nice to have input on the little details.” White boards have been placed in the front of rooms with bulletin boards on both sides. If the projector screen is put on that wall, it will completely take away from the use of the white board. There is another, bigger board on a different wall, but it would not be in the front of the classroom, and not be as useful. The numbering of rooms creates a different problem. It makes no sense for someone who has never been to the high school. The 100s, 200s, 300s, and 500s are on the first floor, with 400s on the second floor. There is not much order in the numbering.
Kiera Morrill, Kallen Kramer and Lauren Gehrke/BW Physical Fitness/ Wellness Center Cafeteria
Vocal Rooms Classrooms Band Rooms
FCS Room Classrooms
Classrooms also need to have three numbers for phone extensions. Since the current gym and choral rooms were in the 500s, the decision was to stick to 500s. “We talked about renumbering and rekeying the whole building,” Hukee said, “but it would cost too much.” Questions of lengthening the passing periods have arisen with the larger additions. Hukee said that right now the passing periods will not be changed, but the situation will be monitored. Family Consumer Science (FCS) and choral classrooms have a lot of changes. “(The new room) will have a commercial kitchen with six gas burners and a grill, as well as a hood,” FCS teacher
Ruth Hamilton said. “A Culinary III class is going to be added next year to utilize all these new features.” The choral department does not get a brand new room, but their current room, along with the old band room, will be renovated to hold the entire choir department. The current choir room will be turned into a concert choir/mixed choir room, while the band room will be for show choir, complete with platforms and mirrored walls. “The room hasn’t been worked on in 30 years,” Van Waardhuizen said. “We’ll get new lighting, carpet and paint, and be able to make better use of the current sound equipment.”
Although the construction began in the fall, it will not be completed until this summer. Teachers have been very pleased with the schedule. “Everything has been on time,” Van Waardhuizen said. “We moved out on Monday (May 5), and on Tuesday, demolition had started. I wouldn’t be surprised if they finished earlier than planned.” Renovations are according to schedule and will be ready to go by the beginning of next school year. “The construction company and architects have been very responsive and have communicated very well,” Hukee said. “We are on target to finish on designated dates in July.”
news
May 2008
ERIK ANDERSON
staff writer
George Vardaxis, a 2007 graduate, adjusts the collar of classmate Abby Bowman during Class Day. Last year, Class Day and graduation took place on separate days. However, now they are held on the same day due to state law and the availability to have parents attend both ceremonies. The events will take place on May 27 at the school and Drake’s Knapp Center.
The decision to make Class Day and graduation the same day was made by principal Bruce Hukee. Many seniors expected them to be on different days, so there has been some concern over the decision. The change in schedule was due to three issues: a state law stating seniors could be released five days prior to the end of school, family members would not have a problem attending because of work schedule, and a desire for it to be close to the weekend. “We wanted to have the graduation and Class Day on the same day, so that family members would be able to come, and so we would be able to satisfy state law,” Hukee said. “The only day that fit these conditions was Tuesday, so that’s what I had to schedule the ceremonies for.” Some seniors have different opinions. “I don’t like it,” senior Ryan Alfred said. “Most other classes had them on different days. Why should we be any different?” Many students had to change personal plans because of this decision. “It changed my plans a little bit, such as family members not being able to come and out-of-school activities,” Alfred said. However, Hukee said that not many seniors have expressed concern over the overlapping events. Although Hukee is satisfied with the decision, he mentioned he has some regrets. “If I didn’t have to do this, I wouldn’t,” Hukee said. “Some people will have to change their schedules, and I wish that didn’t have to happen. I hope we won’t have to repeat this practice next year.” Concerns about overlapping graduation ceremonies are not stopping seniors from being excited. They are still eager to get their diploma, and will accept the switch.
Professional development days reduce early outs JORDAN VAN ESSEN staff writer The 2008-2009 school calendar eliminates all but four early out days. Instead, two all-day “professional development days” for teachers have been added. “Fewer early outs will mean fewer days with shortened class schedules and inconsistency of schedules due to early outs,” executive director for educational services Dr. Bruce Amendt said. “The full days will allow staff to focus entirely on professional learning verses teaching for half a day, taking a quick lunch, and then move to professional development.” Amendt said the new development days were put in place after feedback from members of the District Leadership Team, Building Leadership Teams and the District Calendar Committee. “The input on professional development days was used by the District Calendar Committee in creating a calendar which went to the School Board for approval and adoption,” Amendt said. Principal Bruce Hukee said a reason for the change was to get rid of interruptions in the teaching days and not have to make up the days that early dismissals took away. Junior Nate McGinley said the full-day dismissals will give him time to do school work. “I think its freakin’ awesome,” McGinley said, “because we get a full day off of school in the middle of the week, and that’s sweet.” Administration and staff also like the change. “The advantage of the change is that we have more weeks of school that we are not using alternative schedules or causing issues for families and day care, ” Hukee said. “Another advantage is that faculty will have all-day training, which may provide flexibility for things or offer opportunities for continuity.” The new full professional development days are not completely eliminating three-hour early outs. There will still be four early dismissal days for the purpose of conferences and planning for graduation.
briefs
Same-day graduation ceremonies spark concern
Archives/Nicolette Ward
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Senior Thomas Lashier and Drake basketball player sophomore Josh Young
Drake star stops by for FCA Drake University shooting guard Josh Young talked at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). Young talked about his faith, basketball and his journey. “(Adult helper Jerry Quick) talked to him and asked him if he was interested in speaking at Johnston FCA, and luckily for us, he was,” senior Thomas Lashier said. Young led the Missouri Valley Conference Champions to a 28-5 record and an appearance in the NCAA tournament. The FCA meeting was held at the Lashier’s home, and Lashier was pleased. “I thought the night was amazing, Josh had a great message for everyone there, and I think because of his name, people naturally listen whenever he speaks,” Lashier said.
Bike to school day
Approximately 500 students biked to school on “Bike to School Day” to help save gas money. “It had the most participation I’ve ever seen at any school-sponsored community service activity,” student council member Senuri Jayatilleka said. The event was sponsored by the school and many teachers. Volunteers signed up to watch the bikes at the stadium during the school day. Not only did students get exercise, but students who won the raffle prize received gift cards to Irwin’s Bike and Sports. The event took place on May 16.
School delivers Papa John’s pizza
Provided/Andy Hummel
Professional development days
November 6 February 4
November 20 February 19
Due to the movement of the lunchroom and downsizing of the lunch menu, the food staff decided to have Papa John’s pizza delivered on Fridays. Food Director Boe Stoebner said the pizza is a gift to the students for putting up with the move and limitations on lunch. “My boss (LaRae Doll) and I talked it over in the spring, and thought about ways we can give a treat to the students for the end of the year,” Stoebner said. “Ordering pizza was the first idea we came up with, and it has been a winner so far.” Stoebner said it has increased traffic on Fridays and makes the staff happy. “It has made the lunchroom a busy place again,” Stoebner said. “It makes Fridays a great day to come to work.”
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Corrections Clarifications The Black and White strives to be both accurate and fair. Readers who believe the paper has printed an error should call 515.278.0449.
May 2008
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Choir banquet presents musical theater Show choirs chose four famous Broadway musicals to perform for inspiration BRENNAN WINGET
staff writer
The choir banquet included new changes. The show choirs performed four musical theater shows at The Bridge on May 13. “The banquet is to give the seniors recognition for their hard work through the year and all the years they have been in show choir,” assistant vocal director Ted Brimeyer said. The students chose which musical songs they were to perform and created choreography for the songs. “They gave us a wide variety of pieces to choose from, everything from Sweeney Todd to Les Miserables,” sophomore Andrea Iler said. This was the first year choir students performed songs from Broadway plays; however, it is not the first year they made their own choreography. “I did some of the choreography for the song ‘Nowadays’ in the musical Chicago,” senior Audrey Henning said. The students were told what songs they were to sing and started choreography right after the spring show. “Many of the songs in Jersey Boys were choreographed by me (and sophomores) Ryan Bower and Leah Kacere,” Iler said. “(Sophomores) Caleb Wagner and Diedre Spray also did a piece together.” After practicing for three weeks and making sure the choreography was perfected, they performed at the banquet for their parents and peers. “It was a lot of fun when it all came together and worked out right,” senior Chris Wilkinson said. “Also, the banquet wasn’t as boring as usual because of the shows we did.”
Kiera Morrill/BW
Boys in Innovation perform songs from the musical Newsies at the vocal music banquet on May 13. It was held at The Bridge on N.W. 62nd Ave. at 7:30 in order to showcase the show choirs and hand out letters and awards.
Showtime!
Jersey Boys
Stay December 1963 Who Loves You Working My Way Can’t Take My Back to You Babe Eyes Off You
Santa Fe Newsies Seize the Day
Choreographers: sophomores Ryan Bower, Leah Kacere, Andrea Iler, Deidre Spray, and Caleb Wagner
Choreographer: senior Chris Wilkinson
Grease BornWetoGoHandTogetherJive Grease Lighting Beauty School Dropout
Sophomore Andrea Iler
Choreographers: sophomores Kendra Greenfield, Olivia Diehl, Nick Evans, Steven Williams, and Cortney King
Carrying the Banner
Chicago
Cell Block Tango All He Cares Nowadays About is Love All that Jazz Choreographers: choir director Sara Van Waardhuizen, seniors Audrey Henning and Lindsey Tosch, and junior Caroline Byrd
Senior Audrey Henning
Community celebrates board member’s life “She may be gone but she lives on” VERONICA ROSHEK
opinion editor
A close friend of the district touched hundreds of lives and will go on to touch hundreds more. As a mother, wife, member of the school board, Parent Teacher Organization member, marathon runner, soccer board member, and now an organ donor, Karen Coaldrake will be greatly missed. On March 23, Coaldrake, the mother of sophomore Justin Coaldrake and fifth grader Tristan Coaldrake, passed away suddenly due to a brain hemorrhage. Doctors are not sure exactly when she died, but she lost all brain function. Friends and family are all grieving their loss, but they know Karen’s legacy will go on. In the words of Tristan, “She may be gone but she Karen Coaldrake lives on.” With this type of positive demeanor, the family and friends organized a celebration of life ceremony. “We wanted to make (the funeral) a celebration of her life where people could tell stories and make it as happy of an occasion as we could,” husband Peter said. To go along with the theme, they played the song “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield before sharing their favorite memories. Close friend, teacher Chris Beguhn, was a pallbearer at the service. “The Coaldrakes did an awesome job of making it a celebration,” Beguhn said. “They are all very strong
people. I never want to have to go through burying another friend.” Beguhn also said how Karen did not ever just do things; she always did them with a purpose. “She is absolutely one of the most vibrant, outgoing, confident people I have ever met,” Peter said. “She had a unique ability to make everyone she met her best friend. It didn’t matter who it was, if it was a kid in the school hallway or the CEO of a major corporation, she had a way of making them all her best friends.” Because she was able to make friends so easily, she had a lot of friends with whom to keep in touch. “We would joke about her having three lunches a day because she talked to so many people,” Beguhn said. “We don’t know how she made the time to go out for lunch with so many people.” Karen was also an organ donor, which is another positive realm of her life that will continue to live on. “When Peter said that Karen was an organ donor, I was just like, ‘Duh,’ ” Beguhn said. “She is capable of that cascading ripple effect by donating.” As a testimonial to Karen, the Johnston Education Foundation is taking donations for the Karen Coaldrake Memorial Fund to support key activities within the district. The family has not decided what activities to fund, but the Foundation’s office is still receiving donations. “It’s evident (the memorial fund) has been a real tribute to her,” superintendent Clay Guthmiller said. “It shows what kind of a contribution she was making.” Karen truly dedicated her time giving to others and worked very hard to be the best she could be. “She was a very unique individual,” Guthmiller said. “She was so committed to everyone to make sure they were successful in everything they did. She had a tremendous desire to serve others and the school district.” Karen made such a major impact throughout the community that friends and family are recovering and learning to live without her. “(Our family) is all reacting in a similar way, by all try-
Provided/Peter Coaldrake
Over spring break, the Coaldrake family vacationed on Cancun, Mexico.
ing to achieve and understand,” Peter said. “She’s done so much for us and the community, now we’re trying to figure out what our new world will look like.” Although the change has been more than difficult, they are learning to go on in a way that would make Karen proud of them. “It gives me strength to have Justin in class,” Beguhn said. “I’m so proud of him. (He’s acting) how Karen would want and is showing the true testament of how they lived their life. We’re all establishing our new life without her, needing to do it and doing a great job.” During Karen’s life, she fulfilled the purpose many people seek out through their lives and never reach. “She finally became completely comfortable with herself,” Peter said. “She perhaps connected all the dots in her puzzle and became her own best friend.”
editorial
4
May 2008
B&W
Texting: a communication disaster MAYB GNITE
OMG
BCUZ ROTFL GTG NP JK
Fyi. Gtg. Ttyl. This is the new world of communication for “Generation Y”: texting. Through texting, people have become socially inept and eventually, there may be no face-to-face communication or proficient writing. Texting has created miscommunication and poor social and writing skills. Communication skills are a part of everyday life and are extremely important. According to USA Today, communication is composed of five percent verbal and 95 percent nonverbal. By texting, “Generation Y” has lost 95 percent of this communication. “People are forgetting what it’s like to talk face-to-face, how to express themselves,” senior Tim Clay said. “As a result (with texting), there is more drama because people can’t read your body language or facial expression.” With this loss of communication, there is misunderstanding. A text may be quick, but it can be easily misunderstood. This can cause problems with re-
BFF
GUNNA
Scheduling spring sports It seems that for the past two years, nothing has come easy for the athletics in the spring. This time of year the weather fluctuates so much that it makes the job of coaches and the athletic director much more difficult. They must find the time to practice outside around the weather, if need be, and reschedule meets and games that are cancelled due to inclement weather. Facilities must also be maintained during and af-
staff staff KARI DOCKUM editor in chief
GF
SUP
lationship issues. “You can’t express emotions,” junior Brooke Egly said. “Things written down can be taken a totally different way than what they actually mean. If you’re in a relationship and you are fighting, the person deserves the respect to talk faceto-face.” Not only has texting created miscommunication, but also poor social skills. “Generation Y” has become a lazy people and forgotten how to talk. When was the last time someone picked up the phone to call a friend to ask how they were doing? Texting has made people afraid. “Yes, I have been afraid to call people sometimes, especially if they aren’t people who like to be called in the first place or aren’t my closest friend,” junior Senuri Jayatilleka said. “It’s something that improves with practice, like many skills.” Also, it has decreased social skills within families. In the good old days, families would work, play games and even listen to music together. Today, it is nearly impossible for a family to sit down and have a nice dinner without having a texting interruption. “It becomes a distraction in meetings, in public and the work place, when someone is sitting under the table texting and you know that they aren’t giving you their full attention,” parent Mary Gesiriech said. Part of the adventure of life is meeting new people, and staring at a blinking envelope on a screen all day does not quite cut it. Lastly, texting has decreased formal writing skills. Writing is used for everything: college applications, work resumes, school papers, and so forth. However, by texting, the style and purpose of writ-
2MAROW
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2things ter practices. “Things come in bunches,” assistant boys’ tennis coach Tim Brickley said. “With basketball, I know I have two games a week, while in tennis we have played Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.” As a student body we should be aware of the commitment that goes into being a coach who must work around weather delays. The time they spend away from their family and friends to give the players an opportunity to compete is a valuable asset to our programs.
NE1
ing is slowly being altered. According to the National Education for Education poll, in 2007, only 25 percent of high school seniors were “proficient” writers. Also, the College Board of Education showed that twothirds of the nation’s blue-chip companies’ employees were capable writers. This is not acceptable. All throughout elementary and high school, students are taught the importance of spelling, grammar and complete thoughts. English teacher Ed Walker mentioned that texting is creating new forms of literacy, and can be frustrating at times, but is not necessarily destroying all writing skills. “Yes, it can be frustrating when a student won’t write a one-page paper for school, but they will write forever in texting,” Walker said, “but I do believe texting is paving away into literacies and I don’t have a problem with them standing side-by-side.” Although Walker believes that texting is not harmful, he agrees there is a time and place for different styles of writing. He mentioned that if a student were to write “lol” in a formal paper, it would be a chance to engage in appropriate discussion of instances in where this form of communication would be appropriate and when not. Success in writing is success in the work place and in the real world, and this should not be let down. Texting has created a communication monster in all forms. Do not let texting completely destroy “Generation Y’s” communication and social skills. All it takes is a simple call or letter to make a difference. Get out and enjoy life; do not fail to communicate.
WANNA
:p
LUV
UR IDK NVM PICS :) BF DEF I<3 B4 L8R W/ TTYL LOL DUN DA
BBL
that we care about this month
Senior Challenge Senior Challenge, though sometimes looked at in the same regard as Rock Around the Clock, turned out to be something very different. Student council made a legitimate effort, but the event proved to be disappointing. There were only three events guaranteed to teams before the finals. More events and less downtime during the events would have made the competition more successful and interest-
ing. For instance, during the marshmallow activity, there was only room for four or five people around the provided space. That left the rest of the team watching or eating marshmallows for 12 minutes. Though the events were focused on teamwork, there was too little physical involvement. More relays like the balloon pop would have alleviated the boredom factor. The effort by student council is appreciated, but next year, revamp this cherished event.
BRITTANY DEAL managing editor
VERONICA ROSHEK opinion editor
JENNA WILLSON double truck editor
LEE YOCUM sports editor
LAUREN PROFFITT design editor
ALLISON KANE news editor
STEPH IVANKOVICH review editor
TOREY ROBINSON feature editor
CICELY GORDON back page editor
AMY LOVEJOY design editor
The Black and White is a publication produced solely by the newspaper staff. Its goal is to inform, enlighten and entertain the Johnston students, faculty and community. It is an open forum. In accordance with Iowa law, students assign and edit material. Publications are released monthly during the school year. The paper will print nothing libelous, obscene or an invasion of privacy. The law does not require parental permission to use student quotes. Ethically, we believe students can speak for themselves. Staff editorials represent the opinion of a majority of the editorial board. Editorial and opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the adviser, school officials or the district. Letters to the editor must be signed. Grammatical and spelling errors may be corrected and length edited. Like all material,
letters may not be libelous, obscene or an invasion of privacy. Bring letters to room 413 within one week after publication to be considered for the next issue. The Black and White strives to report accurate and timely information. If you believe that an error has been printed, please contact the Editor at karidockum@yahoo.com or contact the school via phone at 515-278-0449. The Black and White is a member of CSPA, NSPA, Quill & Scroll, and IHSPA. Recent issues of the Black and White earned these honors: Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist, National Scholastic Press Association All-American, Quill & Scroll Gallup Award, IHSPA State Champion, IHSPA First Place Photography Second Place Layout/Design and Honorable Mention Writing.
staff writers: Erik Anderson, Nels Engblom, Lauren Gehrke, Kyle Hanson, Austin Hartsook, Drew Houp, Haley Johnson, Kallen Kramer, Thomas Lashier, Bryan Lippincott, Michael Lunn, Dwight Lykins, Julia Manning, Scott Monroe, Kiera Morrill, Philip Mortens, Jeremy Mullen, Chelsea Nelson, Shawna Polen, Jordan Van Essen, Ben Vander Ploeg, Brennan Winget
May 2008
B&W
opinion
Recession hits close to home STEPHANIE IVANKOVICH review editor I never thought the night when my dad came home and gathered my family to the table that my life would be turned upside down. Our family rarely has family meetings, so when we do, it must be important. My father explained that he got laid off. This came as a shock for me. I always heard about this stuff in the media, but I never thought it could actually happen to me. I guess this could happen to anyone, and when you would least expect it. My dad also said we cannot be spending money like we used to, and that we need to be careful on what we buy. This is a lot harder than what it seems. In order to save on gas money, we go to Cosco to get our gas. Gas is always a few cents cheaper over there, which does help. Sometimes my parents borrow my car, which has a great mileage, if they want to go somewhere. This also helps save on gas money. As for me, I adjusted my lifestyle. Instead of blowing my tip-share money on a new outfit or new techno CD that just came out, I hold on to it. If my parents need groceries or anything, I’ll buy it with my own money, something I never have before but helps a little bit. Now, I am shopping at a lot of other places and a lot less than I have been before. For instance, Von Maur was my place to shop. I did not feel bad spending $90 on a bag. Now that I look back on it, I am asking myself how I could be so dumb? I have been shopping at Burlington Coat Factory and Gordman’s lately, both of which are discount stores. The clothing is good and for about half the price, sometimes discounted further.
Inmy my
Shoes
Veronica Roshek
Don’t drink the water
Stephanie Ivankovich/BW
Buying clothing that is discounted instead of full price saves money. At stores such as Gordman’s or Younkers, brand name clothing can be found cheap. Food is a necessity, but I even changed my eating habits. I would get fast food at least one week. Believe it or not, once that is added up, it gets expensive. So I just eat food at home. A grilled cheese or rice is just as filling and healthier. I have learned a lot from what I am going through now. I was your typical, spoiled girl. I would buy whatever my eyes laid on, without a care in the world. Since my dad was laid off, I have had to
change my lifestyle. At first I didn’t think it would be hard, but it is. Getting laid off could happen to anyone at any time. The only way anyone could prepare for it is to spend your money wisely and buy only the items you need. Save as much as you can and try to make due. Until the recession ends, our family will continue to save our money and spend it carefully.
Going dutch saves money, pride SHAWNA POLEN staff writer Since the beginning of time, women have always been seen as inferior. They have been told to stay home to take care of the family and to let the men care for them. Now, in 2008, all these past ideas are being questioned. Women work outside the home, vote and even run for president. But one of the things still debated is who should foot the bill on a date. For both men and women, it has been expected that men pay the bill and women sit and eat the free food or enjoy the free movie. Who came up with the genius idea that women cannot fend for themselves? It came from a large group of white-wigged old men who one day decided that they could speak for everyone when making the rules and guidelines. I can only speak for myself when I say that, as a woman, it makes me uncomfortable when my date pays the bill. I feel that since I helped enjoy the date, I should help pay for the bill. When prom came rolling around this year, my boyfriend and I argued about how things were going to be split. He said that being the male in the relationship, he should pay more. Not liking this, I finally suggested that he pay for the tickets, totaling $36, and I would pay for our dinner, totaling $31, making it about equal. Splitting the bill for us was not awkward; instead, it felt almost natural. And it did not take a huge chunk out of our wallets either. My grandma got mad about us splitting the bill. She said that the man should pay because he puts the food on the table and because that is how it has always been. Even if both men and women work,
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Shawna Polen/BW
only the man’s money should be used for the bills; the woman’s money should be for extras. Some men say that by paying the bill, it shows they are willing to take care of the women, and that if the women were to offer to pay that it would make an awkward situation. Other men say that it would be fine if the women paid for half the bill, since they were on the date, too. Some women say that the man should pay because that is the man’s job. Meanwhile, others say that they would not mind paying, or at least help to pay. On a final note, for all those men willing to pay for the bill with no argument, thanks for offering, but why not go dutch? It will save everyone money. For the women who think that it is the man’s job to pay for the bill, consider helping foot the bill.
What the People Said
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I think that the guy should pay, but the girl should offer.
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Sawyer Woolf, 12
The restaurant should pay.
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Alex Klopfenstein, 12
If the girl asked, she should pay her part. If the guy asked, he should pay it all.
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Brandon Tesdell, 12
If the date is casual, the bill should be split 50/50. Kendra Belz, 11
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Panting during a break in practice, I reach for my Nalgene water bottle to get a drink. That is what I used to be reaching for anyway, now I have switched to a safer plastic bottle. A few weeks ago, my mom was on a rant about plastic and stole away my favorite water bottles I use every day because of a tiny number seven on the recyclable label. Most likely rolling my eyes and thinking she was extremely overreacting, I researched the little recyclable labels, especially the number sevens. I soon was surprised to find out how wrong I was. According to Nalgene Outdoor, the recyclable labels range from numbers one to seven depending on the type of plastic. Number seven in particular is a polycarbonate that contains the chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA). This type of plastic is the worst one out there for your health, even though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t rejected it yet. It hasn’t been rejected because there have not been many studies done with this particular chemical. But, why is this a huge deal? According to an article in USA Today, BPA acts like the female hormone estrogen, which changes behavior and the brain, prostate gland, puberty, and is even more harmful during pregnancy and infancy. Scientists have found these effects in animals at very low levels, and the Centers for Disease Control Prevention have found BPA in 95 percent of Americans tested. However, apparently not enough of a risk has been found to ban BPA here, although Canada has recently put a ban on this form of plastic. For me, I would rather not take the risk of drinking out of something harmful when I could be drinking water out of a much safer container instead. This by all means does not mean you should rush straight to your Nalgene bottle collection and start throwing them out. Because of all the recent concerns, Nalgene has started to move away from using number seven plastics and is using different plastics. Although some of their bottles are safer plastics. You should always carefully check your bottles for ones, twos and fours, which are the safest forms of plastic. The other forms, threes, sixes and sevens, have potentially the most harmful effects. The BPA chemical used in the number sevens, however, is the worst of course. Even better yet, though, switch to a metal bottle without plastic linings on the inside. These don’t provoke risks to your health and you’re still able to use a recyclable bottle. It seems like a pain to make such a little change, but the precautious switch may be worth it. Number seven plastics may be terrible for you, but the importance of using a reusable bottle should still be a major concern. I try to always drink out of a reusable bottle instead of bottled water, because that wastes tons of unnecessary plastic. Along with a lot of different reusable water bottles, baby bottles and toddler sipping cups are for the most part number seven products as well. This is disturbing when you think about how infants are the most effected by the chemicals and they are being the most exposed to them. According to an article in the New York Times, Wal-Mart is now working in the United States like they did in Canada towards having an entire assortment of BPA-free baby bottles. BPA products are still acceptable right now, but why wait until even more research comes out later? There is no good reason to wait it out until the FDA bans the chemical. We should all get ahead of the game and switch to the less risky and proactive reusable water bottles.
May 2008
opinion
6
B&W
Communication fails students Lack of options leave students uneducated
ketball team) since I don’t know how,” coach Rich Gradoville said. “I think communication’s gotten to a point where we need a new way of getting things out to the students.” On March 11, University of Northern Iowa (UNI) administration received information of a gun threat that was to take place on campus. In response, the school tried out its new alert system, including alerts via text to students. As a simple solution, it would be most beneficial for our school to inquire about our cell numbers and e-mail on registration forms. With the proper planning and time management, the school could easily have all the info logged by Aug. 24. With college being the number one answer for secondary education at our school, why is it that the only source of on-campus visits is held in the guidance office, and can be easily over looked on our announcements? Whether it be text, e-mail, or even a bigger sign to hang in government rooms, our school needs to find a way to get the word out. If the school cannot provide sources of communication for students and staff, how can we ever expect to be completely safe and knowledgeable? Texting is the easy solution.
MICHAEL LUNN
staff writer
Walking through the halls, staring at almost useless TV screens playing at a minimal whisper, and gazing at the 1,000s of sheets of paper our school wastes on announcement paper, I begin to question myself. Is this honestly the best way our school can get announcements and news out to students? To give credit where it is due, our guidance office does more than enough work typing and printing the announcements everyday, and teacher Kayla Bousum’s video announcements are top drawer when it comes to student broadcasting. However, they are not viewed the way they should be. Being a member of student council, I feel like I am pretty up to date when it comes to knowing when things are happening in the school. But when I talk to the guys about anything that’s going on? Most of them have no idea what I am talking about. Alerts on turning in pictures for senior breakfast? What about selecting your service project in Beguhn’s room? An almost miniscule piece of computer paper hanging in my government room is no way to get word out to the students.
Michael Lunn/BW
Counselor Curt Larkin prepares to make an announcement over the intercom system. Larkin and PE teacher Dave Beason tag team to make announcements to students on a regular basis. It is last minute announcements that cannot continue to happen. Relying on counselor Curt Larkin or PE teacher Dave Beason to make an announcement telling people that it is the last day to sign up is not a solution. The way I see it, administration may disagree or it may be too “time consuming”, but a mass text can solve many of
the problems we have in the school. Bomb threats? Intruders? Late start? Cancellations? Not to mention college visits? Texting is not new, and some coaches have even started to use them as means of communication. “I - well, my wife - texts the girls’ (bas-
The UNI e-mail sent out to all students on March 11 about a suspected gunman.
Commit the crime, complete the time
PHILIP MORTENS
staff writer
Three thousand, six hundred seconds; 60 minutes; one hour. One hour may not seem like an extended period of time; but in the last hour, two people were murdered, 10 were raped, 133 vehicles were stolen, and 163 violent crimes were committed. In a perfect world, all of theses criminals would be thrown into jail, no bail and no parole. These people should not be given a second chance for redemption. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice show that 53 percent of all inmates in the United States prison systems were on probation, parole or pretrial release at the time of their arrest. 40 percent of inmates have had a prior violent offense. But to every problem there is a solution. What type of example are we setting when a man murders a fellow human out of cold blood and only gets sent away for a few years? What type of example are we setting when we allow drug dealers to sell all sorts of horrible, toxic and illegal substances to our youth, our future generations, and to have the monsters get off after a short stint in jail? In a perfect world there would be no crime. Why, you may ask? Because there would be fear. If the average Joe Dirt drug dealer thought about going and making a quick buck at the local middle school, he would also have to think of the consequences. A life in an eightby-12 foot jail cell. If our nation decides to increase the punishment for crimes, then crimes would eventually stop when people began to understand that the government was just playing around. Whether it be for murder, rape, theft, assault, or possession, turn them all into 40-year sentences and up. In the beginning, our nation would be spending tons more money, but after a generation of offenders rotting in jail, the rest would be frightened into submission by fear. As a result, there would be little to no crime. This is quite a radical solution to our nations prob-
Dollars a Day Romney’s campaign in Iowa
War in Iraq G.W. Bush’s Salary Google’s average income
$85,000 $720 Million $1,095.89 $15 million
lems. All in all, it costs about $22,632 to house one inmate for one year in a prison. This entails the cost of food, living space, utilities, and so on. The number of inmates currently imprisoned in America is hovering somewhere around the 2,245,189 range. Let’s just say that each prisoner would stay in jail for 45 years. This would essentially double our net national debt per day. Now this may seem like a lot of extra money, even extraneous, but it is the best choice for our nation to continue surviving. In our current day and age, our society is slowly going downhill. When people think it is acceptable to go out and break the rules set by our government, the same rules that are attempting to keep the peace, Society must do something about it to keep the peace afloat. If we would ever achieve this, then in the next hour, there would be zero murders, zero rapes, zero stolen vehicles, zero violent acts, and hopefully zero crimes occurring in our nation.
Provided/Wikipedia
The average jail cell is an eight-by-12 foot rectangle, not what one would want to spend the rest of his or her life in, or the majority of it. Modern prison cells contain the few necessities that a prisoners has: restroom facilities and a bed.
opinion
May 2008
B&W
7
Support art education BRITTANY DEAL managing editor
As No Child Left Behind pushes for higher test scores in reading, science and math, the arts are sacrificed. Due to the No Child Left Behind legislation, schools must report out on these three core subjects; schools are not expected to report on art. The overall support of art has unfortunately declined. People need to understand the importance of an art education in order to increase support.
Significance According to the Americans for the Arts Web site, research of the effects of art education has shown that a student gains important skills from the arts. Many of these skills are cognitive. Richard Deasy, director of the Arts Education Partnership, outlined seven skill areas: imagination, innovation and creativity, engagement and achievement motivation, conditional reasoning, symbolic understanding, critical thinking, and collaborative learning and action. Students that take an art course come away from it with a better development of the creative mind. They hone their imagination and gain an understanding of symbolism and self-expression. A large part of art education revolves around aesthetic learning. When taking art, students learn and develop their sense of aesthetics by creating. Students also better their communication skills through the arts. Many have heard the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Through this form of expression, students are capable of developing this form of communication. They also learn how to inspire thought or action in others. This learning can assist students in other areas of schooling as well as in the bigger picture: life itself.
The Right Brain The two hemispheres of the brain are responsible for two different ways of thinking. The left brain is analytical and logical. It looks at parts rather than the whole. The right brain, on the other hand, is the opposite in that it looks at the whole. It is intuitive. Left-brain subjects in school, such as math or science, focus on analysis and logic. The modern education system, in general, favors left-brain thinking. This
favoritism affects teaching methods and a better development of left-brain thinking in students. Right-brain thinking, on the other hand, focuses on creativity and aesthetics. Classes that deal prominently with right-brain thinking include visual arts, drama and creative writing. This type of thinking is not as supported as left-brain thinking in schools. The first step for building more support for the visual arts is to advocate for whole-brain thinking, or the use of both sides of the brain. To do this, teachers must experiment with alternative methods of teaching to develop both sides of the brain and incorporate more activities that inspire use of the right brain. Art teacher Daniel Weiss is in favor of whole-brain teaching. Art education is a whole-brain experience. “You are suppose to teach the whole brain,” Weiss said, “but I don’t think most teachers do it.” To assist students in studying for his final, government teacher Ben Knight had his classes create flashcards of the Bill of Rights. On one side of each card, students wrote the number and name of the amendment. On the other side, students drew and colored pictures that would help them remember the amendment. This is a good example of incorporating right-brain thinking in the classroom. Knight is not the only teacher that has combined right brain and left-brain thinking. However, this should be done more often.
Funding The art department is currently funded by the school budget. Unlike the other fine arts departments, like band and vocal music, the art department does not generate its own revenue. In the fiscal year of 2007, $6,173 combined went toward art supplies for the elementary and middle schools. As for the high school, the budget spent $10,811 on art supplies. Principal Bruce Hukee said he tries to meet all of Weiss’ needs for art supplies. “I’ve never been refused anything I’ve wanted,” Weiss said. Other schools have found ways to increase funding. At Indianola High School, the art department is not simply funded by the school budget. The art club holds fund-raisers to help the art department raise money. Having an art club may prove to be
Brittany Deal/BW
very beneficial for raising money and support for the art department at Johnston as well.
Generating Support Instructors of elective courses ought to have the opportunity to utilize professional development days and early dismissals to work on the development of their courses. Currently, this time is spent focusing on the core curriculum. Teachers of the core classes work on their curriculum while teachers of electives do not have the same advantage.
Besides utilizing and teaching wholebrain thinking, other actions need to be taken to gain support for art education. First and foremost, the school should better emphasize the importance of electives and the values of a well-rounded student. Although staff has tried to motivate students to take electives, many stick to the required courses. There should be a fine arts requirement for graduation. Currently, seniors are only required to take two semesters of English, year-long government, and P.E. Every student ought to have to take one semester of art.
Just in: exercise more beneficial than Xbox Students need to participate in more physical activity, less television-oriented things SCOTT MONROE staff writer
Provided/ 0
Video game consoles like the Xbox 360, shown above, distract students from more beneficial time-consumers, like doing outdoor activities.
Dial tone… still ringing… answering machine. Oh well, maybe he’ll be free later on today, I thought silently to myself. That’s about the time when I received a call. Hey Scott! Sorry, I was in an intense game of “Halo,” you should have seen my triple kill! I tried to ignore the pathetic nature of that statement. It wasn’t easy. I have noticed a lot lately that students play video game consoles like Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii during daytime
hours. That is absolutely fine with me, up until it affects my ability to have fun. The above conversation actually took place, at about 2:30 p.m. on a Saturday. I know that because I called right after I got home from work, and I get off at 2 p.m. every weekend. The temperature outside was somewhere in the 70s, perfect for outdoor activity. Now, do not try to use our negative zillion-degree winter as an excuse. We are almost a month into spring, so that will no longer fly. We, as Iowans, have also been blessed with beautiful weather lately, so snow is finally a thing of the past. So are the excuses. I could go on and on about how much it would benefit your health if you were to just get out and do something physical, whether it be basketball, swimming, or just flat out run or walk. I could rant about how obesity is skyrocketing, and exercise is the answer. I could, but I’m not going to. Everyone has taken Health. No, the reason I am writing this opinion is because I honestly cannot stand it
when I am bored and a friend can’t do something because he or she is too busy “gaming.” I find that sad. So stop whatever you’re doing, with the exception of school, and go outside! Get some exercise; you never know when your body will return the favor. Facebook can wait; you don’t have to update your status every 20 minutes. I hate to break it to you, but nobody cares if you are about to brush your teeth and go to bed. They might care, however, if you are about to go down to the track to run a couple laps. Who knows, they might even feel inclined to join you. But please, screw video games. I hope I’m allowed to say that, because I can’t think of a better word to describe the annoyance I get when youth is wasted away in front of a television screen. Homework would even be more productive, and, yes, I just said that. Try to think of video games as evil, and maybe people will get the point. Who chooses “Rock Band” over a trampoline anyway? Shocking.
entertainment
8
May 2008
B&W
shine light on your
Rainy
day
Do these fun activities to brighten up your rainy day
Bake for Mother (Return the favor she always gives
Scrabble Games (Bring back those old middle school
2
1
seminar days by putting on a Scrabble tournament.)
to you by whipping up one of your favorite recipes.)
3Flashlight Tag!
(Kickin’ it old school with a flashlight and some friends, and don’t forget to turn off the lights while you chase each other.)
Provided/Wikipedia
4
Xapalooza
5
(FIFA and Call Of Duty are excellent for a tournament.)
Nerf Battle
(Get a big house and set up the bases; make it more interesting by turning off the lights.)
Provided/Wikipedia
Summer Fact:
Harry Hillaker, state climatologist, said it rains about 10 days a month. However, in summer, a rainy day may only be one or two hours.
Game Fact:
According to Hasbro.com, Monopoly was first created in 1935. Since then, over 480 million people have played.
Provided/Wikipedia
6 Perform a Puppet Show
(Invite your whole neighborhood over and show off your acting skills.)
7
Have an indoor camp out (Use the stove to heat your mallows, then enjoy using chocolate chips instead of Hershey’s.)
8
Provided/Wikipedia
Compiled by Jeremy Mullen, staff writer
Finish a Monopoly game (It may take one of those long April rainy days to complete a full game, or the entire season.)
May 2008
entertaintment
B&W
9
Blast from the Past
{
}
Small shops on Grand and Ingersoll Avenue offer vintage clothing and home decor Compiled by Lauren Proffitt (design editor)
Dorethea’s Closet Vintage
Yesterday’s Treasures Located next door to Dorethea’s Closet Vintage, Yesterday’s Treasures is a convenient place to go for vintage pieces. The store includes old furniture, home decor, dinnerware, and an assortment of fashion accessories. It was the cheapest place of the three with scarves (above) priced at $3 each and jewelry from $3-$6. The atmosphere was pleasant with three bright rooms painted in green, filled with items one might recognize from an old sitcom.
Cosign & Design On the side of a dull strip mall, the Ingersoll Avenue vintage shop called Cosign and Design does not stand out as an interesting place. Inside, the walls are all painted in different bright colors and the ceiling is tiled in off-white, remisiniscent of a school or office building. Despite the boring facade, the shop includes unique furniture and home decor some vintage and some crafted by local artists. The prices were high, but the pieces displayed were truly one of a kind.
Dorethea’s Closet Vintage
1733 Grand Avenue Des Moines, IA 50309
{
Walking into Dorethea’s Closet Vintage is like walking into an elderly relative’s attic. I was instantly exposed to a stale smell that resonates in the air. Racks of clothing from older eras are scattered throughout the cramped store, and vintage accessories and replicas surround the checkout counter. Finding a unique garment from any era is relatively easy at Dorethea’s, although the focus is on the dresses. Mannequins sport the newest ones in the windows to draw in customers. The front of the store is all devoted to dresses. Styles range from casual cotton dresses, cocktail dresses and evening gowns, from the 1920s to the 1980s. Although the dresses are expensive for used clothing ($40-$200), the higher price is worth it for a one of a kind dress. I picked two dresses to try on. One was from the 1950s and the other was from the 1970s. As I walked to the back of the store, I noticed racks of tops, skirts and pants and a room in the back filled with shoes and purses. Looking through the other racks, I found very few interesting pieces and decided to stick with the dresses. I walked through a doorway with my dresses, to a bathroom that is used as a fitting room. Upon close inspection, both of the garments were still wearable; however, the blue and white striped dress looked more worn. A lot of the clothes This is a semi- did not contain tags or sizes, so I had to guess casual dress on most of the sizes. However, tags are on all of the from the 1970s. items to show prices, as well as the era they came from, I picked this one which can be helpful for trying to emulate an outfit from because of the a specific time. modern cut and Although the fitting room was functional, it does the unique graph- not compare to department store rooms in terms of mirics and fabrics. ror quality and lights. I was pleasantly surprised when I put on the dress from the 1970s. The fit was perfect. The cut was modern enough to wear on most occasions, but the print gave it a unique ‘70s style. It was priced at $60, which was midpriced for the dresses, so I headed up to the checkout counter to purchase it. Scanning the checkout counter, I saw a number of accessories, including wallets, jewelry and gloves. The owner sits behind the counter and makes casual conversation with customers about the pieces they are purchasing. She was very friendly, but not too pushy, and she gave me a free magnet when I purchased my dress. Aside from the musky odor, Dorethea’s Closet Vintage is worth the trip to get a one of a kind vintage piece.
Yesterday’s Treasures
}
1731 Grand Avenue Des Moines, IA 50309
Cosign & Design
2710 Ingersoll Avenue Des Moines, IA 50309
May 2008
doubletruck
10&11
Johnston then and now...
Growth changes community
B&W
According to Johnston historian Mary Jane Paez, Ezekiel Hunt, his wife, and twelve children, were the first white settlers in Johnston, coming here in September 1846. Iowa Pallets (BELOW), which is owned by the Haller family, currently occupies the location of the original Hunt settlement at 6055 and 6095 N.W. Beaver Drive. The area had been known as “Huntsville” for a time, but later, became more permanently referred to as “Ridgedale,” for which the Ridgedale Cemetery is named.
JENNA WILLSON
doubletruck editor As the community continues to develop, today’s students have a hard time visualizing that houses have replaced cornfields and other past icons of Johnston’s unique history. According to the Johnston Historical Society Web site, the town was created by Ezekiel Hunt in 1846 when he settled near N.W. Beaver Drive and N.W. 58 Street. After expanding, the area was named after John Johnston, who was a station agent for the Inter-Urban Railroad. An interurban car was in between the size of a streetcar and a railroad coach, and ran on streetcar lines powered by electricity. The big break for the town came in 1926 when Henry A. Wallace created Pioneer Hi-Bred Corn Company. The company, which has since reached international success, brought residents to Johnston and fueled the rising growth of the Johnston School District, which was established in 1915. Historical Society treasurer and 1941 graduate Bob Thomas remembers graduating with 32 students and when one coach was employed by the school to coach multiple sports. When Thomas attended, it was a K-12 school and was located where the current fire station sits. Although the school did have a kitchen to prepare meals, there was no dining area and students ate in classrooms. “I never had a hot meal (prepared by the school)” Thomas said. As a graduate who has witnessed many changes to the community, he stresses the importance the community’s history carries. “What students need to realize is the things they’re doing today becomes history tomorrow,” Thomas said. The Historical Society organizes meetings and programs to inform the public of the history of Johnston and the surrounding area. They are currently compiling information on family histories and are hoping that future generations will return to Johnston to trace their own roots. While the importance of national and world history is stressed in school, the Historical Society hopes to bring the local history into the school’s curriculum as well. They are currently in discussion with Superintendent Clay Guthmiller to give presentations to students in class starting next year. As for the future of the community, Thomas predicts the growth to continue, and weighs in on the talkedabout possibility of two high schools. “I think we would lose sportsmanship if we had two high schools,” Thomas said. “One larger school working together is better than two smaller schools going against each other.”
?
How have we changed Staff and students ask about the history of Johnston High School, and we provide them answers.
Hunter Warren senior
What year did we first appear in a state tournament? In 1934, the girls’ basketball team led by coach Clover Van Benthuysen made an appearance in the Girls’ State Basketball Tournament at Drake University. They took either first, second or third place. The Historical Society could not confirm their exact place.
dick hanson teacher Provided/Johnston Historical Society
A wild ride? In the picture above, school busses line up outside of Johnston High School in 1937. This is the original school building, which at one time housed all students kindergarten though 12th grade until 1950, at which time upper elementary students began being housed at Camp Dodge. Oddly enough, the same year, the school received a major addition consisting of a new gym, science labs, and a shop.
Kurt Houp/BW
How have our class sizes grown in the past 20 years? “In 1988, my son graduated with a senior class of around 100 kids, so in the past 20 years, our classes have grown to four or five times that size,” Historical Society President Mary Jane Paez said. The class of 2008 has 420 graduating seniors, making it the largest class in Johnston history.
aric greenfield junior
Kurt Houp/BW
Provided/Johnston Historical Society
This building (ABOVE, in 1958) served as the original district wide school until 1958, when the newly built Johnston Elementary (now Lawson Elementary) opened. From then until 1973, the three-story building housed grades seven through twelve, and was known as the Junior High/ High School. In 1973, the current high school was built, and the old building became the middle school, housing grades five through eight, until it was demolished in 1985.
District development through the years
One of the oldest houses in the area (ABOVE) is a former stage coach stop. Information on the home was provided by three different sources: Merwood Knolls residents Ken and Marylin Murray; an essay by Mavis (Cunningham) Kingsbury, the granddaughter of its former owners; and by the current owner of the house, Earl Shoafstall. According to the essay by Kingsbury, the house was built in 1857 by Abraham Elliott, who had homesteaded the land four years prior. The Elliot family lived there until 1889, when they sold it to the Harvey family, from whom Kingsbury is descended. The Harvey’s lived here until their deaths in 1948. It was moved from Elliot’s Ford Road to its present location on the edge of Merwood Knolls in 1975 and is now owned by the family of Earl Shoafstall.
19501919- The Siebert Grade School becomes a K-12 school
Increasing growth leads to students attending class in the Camp Dodge barracks until 1968
kelly mcgowan freshman
1988- Wallace Elementary is
1914- Four
schoolhouses consolidate to form the Independent Consolidated District of Webster and Jefferson Townships of Polk County, IA
When was the Dragon first incorporated as our mascot? Although the exact date is not known, before the Dragon, the mascot was a Beaconite (a light tower) until 1946. Most believe that the Dragon logo was incorporated in the late 1940s or early 1950s.
1958- Johnston Elementary
built, then renovated in 1990
How many kids graduated in the first year at Johnston? The first graduating class was in 1920 and had six students, two boys and four girls.
2004- Summit Middle School
is built and includes the first indoor swimming pool for the district
is built and is later remodeled into Lawson Elementary
1974-
The current high school is built, and has since been renovated
2008
1900
1917- The Siebert Grade
School is added to the district, and the name changes to the Consolidated Independent District of Johnston, IA
1920- The first graduation is
held, and the school is certified as an accredited high school
1962- The school district ex-
pands and officially becomes the Johnston Community School District
1985- The current middle
2007- Timber Ridge Elementary is built
school is built; it has since been renovated 2000- Beaver Creek Elementary is built; one year later Horizon Elementary opens it doors
Compiled by: Jenna Willson, doubletruck editor, and Austin Hartsook and Kurt Houp, staff writers
review
12
The Tastes at The Place Torroco! is one of the new spots to eat in Urbandale, located where former Jesse’s Embers was at 4810 N.W. 86 St. It is one of the best Italian grills in the area, with a focus on northern Italian food, from grilled meats to pasta. It is open for both lunch and dinner, with lunch prices from $7-12 and $14-22 for dinner.
The Eats The food offered is of the best quality, perfectly garnished and served rather quickly. Dinners are treated with an Italian must-have, dipping bread, and a plate of olive oil sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and pepper. While the menu is not very extensive, the food on it is very pleasing. If you are not sure what the heck something on the menu is, the staff can help you get an idea, telling you an overview of what goes into it and how it will taste. Which for the not so seasoned Italian dinner is a perfect touch. The menu is heavy on pasta, but other options are offered. For a pasta lover, there are numerous choices from baked pasta to a delicious ziti option. Some exotic choices are also available, such as a duck, which is served looking basically like a chicken, but has a unique and totally different taste. When you go in to eat, it is not a typical dinning experience. You are going to have to try new foods and be ready to taste something different.
The Service As Torroco! is a new restaurant, the service changes each time you go. Dinners might see hiccups such as a glass sitting empty for a little longer then normal, or the possibility of having to sit at a table a little longer then they wanted before a waiter comes over to take a drink order. Dismissing these new restaurant downfalls, the service once the servers get to you is great. From the smiling host staff when you walk in, to the knowledgeable wait staff when you are eating, it is overall a good experience which should only improve with time. Each time you are finished or getting ready to order, the wait staff is prepared with great suggestions and information about your dish. For such a worldly dinner, this can make your dinning experience a lot better.
May 2008
B&W
The BookWorm
TORROCO!
DWIGHT LYKINS staff writer
Three Course Meal!
Reaching the age of 50 years old, Madonna comes out with her eleventh album, Hard Candy. Expecting a more techno/dance genre like her last album Confessions on a Dance Floor, Hard Candy is more of a pop genre. In fact, only a few songs are what I would consider dance tracks. One for sure is “Give It To Me.” That is the best track on the album. This song is easy to dance to and has a great beat, and just as it starts to get repetitive, it changes beat. The other dance track, which in all reality is more of a pop-based, wannabe dance track, is “Incredible.” “Incredible” is really incredible because it has a good beat to dance to. The message is Madonna singing about is how life is incredible. Even though this is pop music, it does get props for having a great bass. In every song, the bass is low and great for playing in the car with the windows rolled down or at party. Why this album is considered more of a pop album in my book is because Justin
Maximum Ride
Appetizers! Spinach and Artichoke Dip!
Price Point-$6.00
MAIN COURSE! Half Chicken with Potatoes!
Price Point- $22.00
DESSERTS!
Tiramisu!
Price Point- $6.00
The Environment Torroco! is a perfect homecoming or prom-type dinning place, being a little more on the dressy side. But that does not mean you cannot have a good meal whenever. The inside is also completely smoke-free. The decor inside is very eloquent; with table settings and low lights, it has a very romantic Italian feel, and for the parents, there is a bar that is beautifully lit and fully stocked. There was never a wait, even though there were a few groups of people sitting spiracle around the restaurant, always a nice touch when you go to eat at a restaurant. Owners Andrew and Lisa Meek, who also own Sage Restaurants plan to expand the sitting options to include an outdoor patio and lounge area to hold about 25 people by Memorial Day. To make reservations for parties of six or more, or to inquire more about this restaurant, call 515-334-3085.
Rigatoni con Pepperoni $16
The Breakdown Delicious plates and beautiful garnishes are a standard at Torroco! Every time you get a plate you can expect excellent taste and quick delivery.
Hard Candy could be sweeter STEPHANIE IVANKOVICH review editor
BY: Shawna Polen
Timberlake, Kanye West and Timbaland are featured in some songs. Timberlake is featured in more than one track on the album. He is in “4 Minutes,” “Dance 2night,” and “Voices.” In “Voices,” Timberlake sounds great. It adds an eerie effect towards the beginning of the song that intrigues the listener to hear the rest of the song. But unfortunately, he is only in the beginning, so the song gets boring. In “4 Minutes” Timberlake and Timbaland are featuring artists. The song is good the first time it is listened to. But after that, it gets old and repetitive and overplayed. For Madonna, this is a huge change from what her old songs sound like. This song is one of the reasons why the CD is considered in a pop genre. But as a side note, the music video is great. West is in the track “Beat Goes On,” which is a good song to dance to. West raps a verse in it toward the end, which does add a little flavor to the song. Overall, Hard Candy is all right. I listened to it once and a few times after that, and then put in The Carter II. But if you are expecting a dance album like Confessions, shy away from this album or buy the dance tracks on iTunes.
By: James Patterson This month, I chose to review the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. The bestselling series takes off with Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel literally taking flight to free themselves from The School where they have been held captive and experimented on since birth. How do they take flight? The kids are 98 percent human and two percent bird. But that is not all these unique kids can pull out of their wings. As a result of being tested on, the “Flock” all have some other special abilities. Max, the leader, is guided by a mysterious voice in her head, Fang is the smart, quiet type, Iggy is the pyro, Nudge is a hacker, Gasman is what his name implies and Angel, the youngest, can read minds. In the four books that have been written, the Flock continues to run from The School, get help from anyone who will offer it and have been forced to make hard decision like stealing, when it came down to survival over death. James Patterson aimed for young teens when creating Maximum Ride, but ended up having readers of all ages reading the Flock’s stories. Patterson wrote the stories from Max’s viewpoint because she is the leader and the oldest by four months over Fang. Due to the young viewpoint, readers learn things along side the Flock, making the story a thrill ride that keeps the pages flying. Patterson’s Web site had a voting tool designed so he could see if his readers would like to see Maximum Ride in theaters. Getting over five million clicks, this would be a great addition to the already fabulous book ensemble. In Patterson’s fourth book, Maximum Ride: the Final Warning, the Flock travels to the South Pole to help the real life issue of global warming, drawing attention to it. Patterson’s Maximum Ride books help sponsor the Web site; www.dosomething. org; a web forum that people can talk with others about the global problems, and what to do about them. Being a member myself, it is free and a great learning opportunity. I would compare the Maximum Ride stories with a variation of the Animorphs series and a toned down Harry Potter (without the magic). If you liked either of the books mentioned above, I recommend the Maximum Ride series be added to your summer reading list. They will make you want to unfurl your wings and join the Flock. There is talk of a movie coming out in the future, possibly done by Marvel.
ReadingTip
Read out loud, even though it’s harder. After doing that, read silently and you will see that you can read faster. All the while improving your speech skills. Provided/Wikipedia
Madonna released her eleventh album, Hard Candy, on April 28.
For questions, comments or feedback, e-mail me at Batty_forlife@yahoo.com
senior 13
FEATURE
portraits compiled by torey robinson, feature editor
May 2008
B&W
a guide to planning and creating alternatives
traditional approach
Flipping pages of packets and pamphlets senior picture companies sent him beginning in spring of his junior year, senior Eric Olguin used examples of other photographs to choose who he would hire. After narrowing his options to Tim Vorland, Thomas and Bruce and Portraits by Deena, Olguin made his final decision. “I saw a lot of senior pictures Deena has done and they looked good, so I decided to go with her,” he said. “I also heard she was a lot of fun to shoot with.” Preparing for his photo session, Olguin planned to bring and wear seven outfits that he felt comfortable in. “I didn’t do a lot to pick my clothes other than wear some new shirts and some my parents liked,” he said. The session with Deena lasted about four hours. “The shoot turned out to be a lot of fun; she took me all over downtown to hidden alleys, the Surf Shack, and we also took a lot of pictures at her house,” Olguin said.
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all in the family
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Smiling and taking pose in her own backyard, senior Jenny Pray’s senior picture experience was slightly different. Rather than paying a professional photographer to take her photos, Pray’s father, Jim, snapped the shots. “My dad didn’t want to pay for something he thought he was capable of,” Pray said. “He would have rather invested in a nice, new camera and learn a new skill.” Pray felt completing her senior pictures this way decreased much of the stress that would have otherwise occurred. “We were able to do multiple photo shoots. Whenever he or I had an idea for a shot we could go for it,” she said. Pray also feels the poses in her pictures differ from the norm because they did not follow a ‘formula’ other photographers used. The Prays also saved money. “Printing wallets was only about $70,” Pray said. The biggest obstacle during the process was finding time to take the photos and disagreements on ideas between Pray and her father. “Otherwise, it was a pretty positive experience,” she said.
friendly assistance
Sophomore Julia Anderson has been taking photos since she received her first camera at age 10. Today, Anderson, despite no professional training, takes senior photos for those who ask. Anderson feels taking advantage of this opportunity provides many benefits for the student and her alike. She is flexible as to any day or hour requested and edits the photos as needed. “I don’t charge as long as the person is willing to send in an order himself,” she said. “Otherwise, if I did the printing too, it would cost somewhere between $80 and $120.” Senior Lexi Evans chose Anderson to take some of her photos and was pleased. “She had new ideas and was very creative,” Evans said. Sessions with Anderson typically last one to two hours. Anderson said she works hard to get what the person wants, whether it be close ups or body shots. “I won’t make it awkward during the shoot,” she said. “I like to have fun with it.”
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Photographs of Eric Olguin, Cody Zoss, Kyle Hanson and Michael Lunn provided by Portraits by Deena. Leah Kron and Cory Gagne pictures provided by Tim Vorland Photography. Thomas and Bruce Photography provided Sammy McConeghey portrait. Photo of Jenny Pray provided by Jim Pray. Picture of Lexi Evans provided by Julia Anderson.
Design work brings in extra dough$ $ feature
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May 2008
B&W
KARI DOCKUM
editor in chief
Sitting down at his computer, senior Phap Lam opens Adobe Illustrator. For another 45 minutes, he works to create an original logo design as part of a contest on the design Web site 99designs.com. “It’s a site that graphic designers gather at,” Lam said. “People that need a logo or whatever designed can post a contest and set a prize. Then the designers get to work at building logos for the client, who picks a winner in the end.” Winners get paid the amount of money that the client designated for the contest, Lam said. He has participated in 35 contests, winning two, in his two months on 99designs. Lam “I designed a logo for Multiplayercentral. net, and then Meridian needed a web banner design and I won that contest,” Lam said. “I’ve won $225 so far.” Lam has designed a number of different things, from Web pages, stationary, letterheads, and logos, among other things. He also designed the girls’ basketball shirts. “(Varsity coach Rich) Gradoville asked Brickley if anyone could make a design and Brickley gave him my name,” Lam said, “so I worked with him to come up with the shirts.” Acknowledgment is the primary motivation behind Lam’s freelance work. However, he also enjoys the monetary perks. “I like the recognition you can get,” he said. “People all over the world see your design and recognize what it’s for. If you make a hotel logo, and you drive by that hotel, then you can see what you’ve done. I like that I get paid for it, too.” Passion also inspires Lam to find time to design with his schoolwork and job at Kids-Teen Connection. “I don’t consider (designing) a job because I enjoy doing it,” Lam said.
Kari Dockum/BW
Working in technology teacher Tim Brickley’s room, senior Phap Lam designs a logo (in detail at left) for www.allabout-cars.com during fourth period. His freelance designs also serves as his semester project for Sue Cline’s ELP class. Provided/Phap Lam
Independent study option gives students freedom THOMAS LASHIER
staff writer
Junior Hannah Emmerson wanted to continue to be in Yearbook, but her schedule simply would not allow it. “I didn’t really have a choice. I had to either drop yearbook, Pre-Calculus, or Advanced Composition (because of my schedule),” Emmerson said. “I really wanted to stay in Yearbook because I had an obligation to the staff, but on the other hand, I needed Pre-Calc and Advanced Comp because they were my core classes.” Fortunately for Emmerson, students seeking to study a subject or fit a class into their own schedule can turn to a course that gives them that very option: independent study. “I had an extra opening eighth hour,” Emmerson said, “so it was suggested I take an independent study.” Guidance counselor Sue Baker helps students resolve schedule conflicts, and one of the solutions is independent study. However, students can only use the independent study option for electives, not core courses. “This is not an option with required courses,” Baker said. “Students have to have difficulty with scheduling and if the course does not fit but a teacher is willing to work with them independently and Mr. Hukee approves, then a student may take a course in-
dependently.” Junior Alan Nagel also had a schedule conflict. He wanted to take Advanced Placement (AP) Psychology, but it was only offered during periods in which he already had a class. Fortunately, ELP teacher Sue Cline worked with Nagel. “My independent study, AP Psychology, is taught by Mrs. Cline,” Nagel said. “I sit in on one of her ELP classes and ask for guidance when the book doesn’t go far enough or I have problems understanding.” Independent study allows students to teach themselves while earning the same academic credit as a regular course. The student chooses a topic or class to study and comes up with their own plan to reach the goals of the class. “No one in particular teaches an independent study,” Emmerson said. “You have a teacher in the field of study sponsor your study, but other than that, I guess it is selfdirected.” Students like Emmerson and Nagel must establish requirements and meet with faculty members to approve the study plan. Emmerson had to create a curriculum for herself in yearbook with the help of yearbook advisor Leslie Shipp. “I had to basically write a syllabus showing the guidance office that I had requirements to fill and how I planned to go about it,” Em-
merson said. “Then my adviser, Ms. Shipp, would check off on my learning plan to say that it was okay.” One of the advantages to independent study is that the student is in control of their own learning. However, being isolated can create problems in classes like Yearbook. “I can do things at my own pace,” Emmerson said. “But the huge drawback is that I’m not in class with everyone else in yearbook, so if something goes on, I have to constantly ask what we were doing or discussing. It’s really hard to keep track of deadlines and photo due dates unless it is written on the board.” Without a specific teacher leading class or keeping a student on track every day, independent study can be distracting. “I would recommend putting a lot of thought into how good you are at keeping yourself on task. It’s tough to be self-directed in a class when it is just you,” Emmerson said. “I’m someone who needs to be pressured to get things done or else I won’t. I get distracted really easily.” Nagel would recommend independent study to any student that wants to take a class, but cannot fit it into their schedule. “If your schedule is prohibiting you from taking a class you really want to take, I would approach your counselor and begin the steps the administration needs you to take for your independent study to be verified,” he said.
SET YOUR GOALS Follow this checklist to begin your own independent study.
Meet with a counselor Create your curriculum Get a staff sponsor Be self-disciplined
Juniors get creative with locker decorations, waste AMY LOVEJOY
design editor Opening his locker to reveal an overflowing array of Monster energy drink cans, taped-up drawings and stickers, junior Tyler Eden searches to find books he needs for his next class. Eden has been collecting Monster cans and various decorative pieces along with his locker mate, junior Alex Johanik, since the beginning of the year. Eden decorates to avoid the blandness that befalls an undecorated locker. “Ever since I’ve had some type of locker in school, it has always been so blank and empty,” Eden said. “So I figured I’d put various things up, and every so often I change the stuff so it doesn’t always look the same.” Eden and his friends collect some of the Eden Monster cans they drink during school in his locker, although most of the cans are kept in junior Derek Danielson’s locker. The boys take the cans home occasionally, once Danielson’s locker is filled. “We have about 700 (cans) or so there, so we try to keep them at school so his parents don’t get too mad,” Eden said.
Eden and Johanik also decorate their locker with various posters and stickers, many of which Eden received from a Marine Corps recruiter. The locker is also decorated with numerous Pokémon sticker, including one of the main character Pikachu, and various video game memorabilia. Eden also hangs some of his drawings in the locker, exchanging them for new ones whenever he feels the need. His favorite is of a cross, mourning the death of a relative. Eden and Johanik have experienced only minimal comments about their lockers, mostly coming from teachers who complain about the energy drink smell. “Most of the people that gather around my locker are used to seeing it now,” Eden said. “When I used to have a lot of my drawings up, I’d get a lot of comments on them when people would look, but now it’s just ordinary.” Most students that know Eden’s locker are not distracted by it, and some even enjoy it. “It’s his style,” junior Elena Malycheva Eden’s locker said. “It’s his way of making it fun.”
Amy Lovejoy/BW
Junior Derek Danielson’s locker contains approximately 60 Monster cans. He takes the cans back to his house whenever his locker becomes full.
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FEATURE
May 2008
B&W
15
tI ’s
the
u o b a l t l a
l.O . V . E Skarphol and Dubay
Seniors make the decision to join their significant other and continue their relationships in college. Compiled by Julia Manning, staff writer and Cicely Gordon, backpage editor. [Senior Jordain Skarphol and 2006 Valley High School graduate Tyler Dubay met each other at an Applebees three and a half years ago when she was in eighth grade and him in tenth. They have been dating ever since. Next year, at Iowa State University, will be the first time they will attend the same school...]
JM: What was your first impression of one another? J: He was kind of dorky. He wore glasses and had these god awful New Balance shoes that looked like something my grandpa might wear. T: Well, we first met when she was in eighth grade, she looked like a little kid with braces. And she went out with my friend after that, so I pretty much thought of her as just a girl to hang out with.
JM: How has it been hard going to different schools, through high school and through him being in college? J: When he lived in Des Moines it wasn’t hard at all. Actually, I liked us going to different schools so we never got sick of each other. At DMACC, it was the same as him being in high school because he didn’t move away. When he moved to Ames, it was hard at first, but it makes seeing him that much better. T: Throughout high school, it was nice because I was busy playing hockey and I only saw her a few times a week, but then I got to college and it was kind of hard due to the fact I live in a house. But living in a house helped me realized what I want in a girlfriend, and I appreciate her for that.
JM: How would you say you guys make it work? J: We like a lot of the same things and we get along really well because we both don’t like fights. T: We are pretty flexible with each other, and very understanding of what the other is going through. We’ve just made it work over the years. It really doesn’t seem like we have gone out for that long.
JM: What do you think it will be like to finally go to the same school? J: It will be nice getting to see him more, but I’m not going to overdo it. I want my own life and we aren’t married. T: It’ll be nice to have her around, but I trust that we won’t abuse it. I think that’s how people end up going nuts. Photos provided by the couples
[Senior Brianna Stone and 2007 graduate Jay Quick met after Rock Around the Clock last year, and have been going strong for the past year and five months. This year, they have made the three and a half hour commute from Johnston to Bethel University in Minneapolis, MN, where Jay goes to school. Next year, Brianna will be joining Jay at Bethel...]
JM: What was your first impression of one another? B: I thought he was a pretty goofy kid, but he was fun to talk to and I thought he was cute. J: She was extremely outgoing and really hot.
JM: How has it been difficult without each other this year? B: It was really tough at first, but I think we got used to it pretty fast. Obviously, we still have our rough times being this far apart, but now we know that you shouldn’t take advantage of the time you have. J: It has been so hard because we are in completely different states. Its just us. Everything is based off of trust and our faith.
JM: Feelings for college next year together? B: I am pumped. I cannot wait to get up to Bethel in that environment and make new friends. Jay’s not the reason I chose it, but he’s definitely a plus. J: I can’t wait for it. We have already talked about it and it will be like it was in high school, a healthier balance between our time and our friends time. Bethel does not fit everyone, but it fit both of us perfectly and I couldn’t see either of us anywhere else.
[Officially since the end of eighth grade, and for about three years, seniors Katherine Burggraaf and Sam Grasso have been inseparable, being involved in a lot of the same activities and classes. They will continue there relationship next year, as they will both be attending the elite St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN...]
JM: Is it weird having so many classes together? K: It’s kind of weird, being together all throughout the day, but it makes it easier to relate to each other. S: (It’s) not weird being in the same classes. It’s funny to see how different teachers react to us. Neither of us like (public displays of attraction); we talk, but we’re not all over each other.
JM: How did you decide on St. Olaf? K: I really liked the small, private college feel of it and the people are extraordinary. It made the decision easier that Sam was going there, so I didn’t have to worry about choosing a college that would affect our relationship. S: It was a hard decision. It’s an extremely expensive school; what really got me was when I took a step back and realized that college is a huge stepping stone in your life and St. Olaf was the best and that’s why I invested there.
JM: What’s your favorite thing about one another? K: I just have such a good time with him; he makes me laugh. We complement each other very well. S: No matter what it is I’m doing or thinking about doing, even the littlest thing, if she’s involved, I will always enjoy it more.
May 2008
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BASEBALL
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V. SOFTBALL
Ryan McCauley Leah Embrey
Years playedPosition-
13-14
12
Catcher, pitcher, 3rd base Awards- 2nd All-Confer- 1st team Allence and 2nd Conference, HonAll-District orable Mention All-State Batting average- .430 .409 1st base
Home runs-
3
Height-
6’4”
Bat-
Easton Stealth
Glove-
Rawlings I’ll still kill
Walk-upsong
Favorite sport-
Football
1 5’5” Catalyst
Worth Calaberia 2008
Volleyball
(other than baseball/softball)
Favoriteteam Personalgoals
Chicago Cubs
Win Conference and State
USA Softball team
Increase batting average and hit more home runs
Favorite- We play lots of Playing with evgames. eryone and havpart of ing a good time. baseball/ softball
Leastfavorite
It’s during the summer and it’s a big commitment.
Getting punished when we mess up.
Teamoutlook
We got a solid team, good juniors, and a lot coming back.
Work as hard as we can, work as a team, and do well at state.
WhyUNI?
They are a good team and it’s close, and I have some friends going there.
It has a great education program and I like the school and softball program.
Compiled by Kyle Hanson, staff writer, and Lee Yocum, sports editor
Katie Norris/Dragon
Abby Weaver/Dragon
May 2008
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Dugouts bring new look to stadium NELS ENGLBOM
staff writer
When practice started on April 26, baseball players noticed some significant changes. New, incomplete buildings were in the place of their old dugouts. Athletic director Gary Ross said the baseball and softball dugouts and backstops renovations started in September. “Our goal was May 1, but as long as they are finished by the start of the season (May 21) we will be okay,” Ross said. Changes to the softball and baseball fields are very similar. On both, the old dugouts have been removed to make way for new brick buildings. The new dugouts are larger and include storage areas for equipment. The baseball dugouts will be below ground with a fence blocking the area to the field. “They have more of a pro feel,” baseball coach Randy Wee said. In both new dugouts, there will be built-in cubbies and shelves for gloves, helmets and bats. The backstop on both fields were completely remodeled. There is now a kneehigh brick wall at the base of the fence. The wall stretches from the home to visitor dugouts. The new dugouts are modeled slightly after those of other CIML schools. Wee said they are a hybrid of Urbandale and Ankeny’s dugouts. Despite being excited for the new dugouts, players have noticed some inconveniences with the construction. “It’s been a little tough practicing without a backstop,” senior baseball player James Stone said. To make up for the missing backstop, the baseball team used a portable cage for scrimmages. Despite missing the original deadline, the dugouts were finished by the May 21 opening game.
Nels Engblom / BW
Nels Engblom / BW
AT LEFT: an onfield view of the home dugout BOTTOM LEFT: an on-field view of the new backstop and wall BOTTOM RIGHT: an inside-view of the home baseball dugout. Cubbies, shelves and multi-level benches had not yet been put it.
Nels Engblom / BW
Sophomore soars to state track meet HALEY JOHNSON
staff writer
Looking around the bus headed to Drake University, sophomore Tommy Larson stood out. He was the only underclassman on board. Larson went out for track last year in preparation for football and happened to stumble upon something he was talented at: the high jump. “I highly recommend that all athletes go out for track,” football and track coach Brian Woodley said. “It helps with speed development and pushes them to become a better athlete.” “Tommy’s a natural athlete; he picked it up quickly,” high jump coach Randy Barrick said. “I could tell Tommy had talent from the start. He was thin and tall; he just needed to get the form down.” Larson Larson decided to go out for track and the high jump again. “I was awful the first week I started (high jumping); I think I jumped about five foot,” Larson said. “The high jump is a great event for Tommy.” Woodley said. “It helps develop a great vertical, which will help him with both football and basketball. The high jump is really good for positions like defensive back and wide receiver, so they can learn to catch the ball at its peak.” “Since I run as well as jump, that helps me get in shape for football and basket-
Tips from Tommy
1. 2.
3. 4. 5.
Focus on style, not just jumping Stride and high knees through the turn
Arch your back Power Controlled approach Sammy McConeghey/ Dragon
ball,” Larson said. “High jumping helps a lot with basketball. It improves my vertical (jump).” During the season, Larson ranked eighth in the state. His placing qualified him to go to the Drake Relays, which was held April 24-26. Larson placed seventh at the Relays with a jump of 6 feet 2 inches. He was the only sophomore boy to go to the Relays this year. “I was proud of the place that I got (at
the Drake Relays), but I know I could have done better,” Larson said. “I was really nervous, and since it was my first really big competition, I wasn’t as focused as I could have been.” Fresh off the Relays, Larson followed his performance with a second place finish at the Conference meet on May 5. The top four conference high jumpers qualified for districts on May 9. Larson placed first with a jump of 6
foot 4 inches, earning him a place at the state track meet. State was held on May 15 at Drake University. Larson entered the meet tied for second in the 4A. At state, he placed eighth out of 24 jumpers, with a jump of six feet. “I should have gotten there earlier than I did, so I really could have stretched out and warmed up,” Larson said. Barrick said during practice, athletes work on their footwork to get them to the bar, then they practice moving their body to get over the bar. In preparation for state, Larson said he took it easy with light practice, really focusing on technique, and then trained hard two days before the event. Larson feels techniques is the most difficult part of high jumping. “The higher you get up, it isn’t about the height anymore. It’s all about the form,” Larson said. “For the most part, the high jump is really relaxed and not a lot of pressure,” Larson said. “That’s why I like it.” Barrick said that he has really been working on fundamentals with Larson and practicing at heights around 6 feet 10 inches to get height aspect into his form. He believes that someday Larson could be a seven-foot jumper. “I would like to high jump in college,” Larson said. “Seven foot is really high, I would have to work really hard.” “He’s a good jumper and was a very good listener, so he learned quickly,” Barrick said. “The sky’s the limit for Tommy; if he focuses and works hard, I could see him being a Division I college jumper.”
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Sports drinks may not be best for hydration Is the power in gatorade better than the purity of water? CHELSEA NELSON
staff writer
s s e n t i F inks Dr Fast Facts Variety of flavors Contains minerals and electrolytes, like sodium and potassium Replaces electrolytes upon their loss Most effective during extreme exercise for a long period of time
Students throughout the hallways can be seen toting bottles of Gatorade, Propel and water. For many, the debate over the best hydrating liquid is a tough one, and the support is equally divided. Senior Taylor Young has been in football and wrestling for the past four years and mainly drinks water throughout the day. “Usually, water is it for me, but I drink Gatorade and stuff after games and workouts,” Young said. “(Gatorade) is supposed to hydrate you better, and the taste is good, so that’s really important too.” Taste may be one of the most important factors for athletes in deciding what they are going to drink. Companies like Gatorade specially design their drinks so that their drinks will taste the best when a person is low on energy. “I like how (the drinks) come in a bunch of different tastes,” Young said, “so that’s probably one of the most important things for me. Personally, I like the grape kind.” Senior Hunter Warne has been playing football for his entire time in high school. “Usually I drink water and Gatorade, maybe the occasional PowerAde,” Warne said. “They taste good, plus they’re good for you, so that’s good.” Registered dietician Staci Hockemeyer believes that fitness drinks should be saved for fast-paced exercise. “It’s unnecessary to drink them during the day,” Hockemeyer said. “You only need them during high physical activity. Other than that, they’re just like sugar-water.” The athletes also believe that the fitness drinks provide better relief from dehydration, as well as an energy boost. “I mainly drink water for hydration, and Gatorade is supposed to give you energy, so I usually drink those together,” sophomore softball player Cassie Curtis said. According to Hockemeyer, electrolytes are essential minerals found in many fitness drinks. “Electrolytes are things like salt and sugar,” Hockemeyer said. “You lose them during physical activity. Drinks like Gatorade refuel your body and supply you with those minerals that you are losing.” As for dehydration, Hockemeyer believes that water is the best source for quenching thirst, while Gatorade and P2 is best as an energy supplement.
Water Fast Facts Unflavored Tap water has many of the same minerals that sports drinks have Does not have the extra calories Best for workouts lasting up to a few hours
Baseball to play in big-time stadium Team is scheduled to play at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE LEE YOCUM
sports editor The baseball team is scheduled to play at the home of the College World Series, Rosenblatt Stadium. The varsity team is scheduled to make the two-hour trip to Omaha, NE on July 8 for the Council Bluffs Louis Central Tournament. The tournament is a round robin format consisting of three teams: Johnston, Sioux City East and Council Bluffs Louis Central. In round robin, each team plays every team once and the team with the best record wins the tournament. Coach Randy Wee enjoys going to Omaha as much as playing at Rosenblatt as the competition. “(Council Bluffs) Louis Central is usually tanked in the top 10 every year,” Wee said. “We play them at our home early in the season and then we will get another
chance to play them at Rosenblatt.” The team was scheduled to play at Rosenblatt two years ago, but the tournament was canceled. The games take place after the College World Series in midJune, and during that period, turf bacteria had formed that required the field to be torn up and made it unavailable for play, Wee said. Senior Trevor Haden is looking forward to playing at Rosenblatt Stadium. “They have been hyping it up every year and something always goes wrong,” Haden said. “It’s a big time stadium and a lot of people play there. It’ll feel like you’re in the big (leagues) for a night.” The varsity will go from a home stadium that seats less than 1,000 to Rosenblatt, capable of seating 23,100. Wee is also looking forward to the lateseason road trip, and feels it could be fun and enjoyable for the team. “It gives us a chance for our team to have a road trip together and bond as a team, and just have fun later in the season,” Wee said. In previous years, the team has taken both school buses and charter buses to Rosenblatt. It is unknown what will be taken this time around. This will be the last time Wee will make his trip over to Rosenblatt, as he is stepping down after the season with a new job working on nutrition and health in schools for the state of Iowa.
Abby Weaver/Dragon
Senior Trevor Haden resists taking a cut at a pitch during a game last season. Hayden has never been to Rosenblatt Stadium and is looking forward to the opportunity to play on the field in July.
May 2008
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Tennis Districts Senior offered opportunity to play on college club team LEE YOCUM
sports editor Senior Tucker Vasey was invited to play on the Drake’s club tennis team. The opportunity came about during the summer when the Drake coach proposed the idea. “I worked out with some of the Drake (tennis) players during the summer, and the coach asked me if I would be interested in playing on the club team,” Vasey said. Vasey, the number two on varsity, is looking forward to the chance to play on the team. He already knows some of the players from workouts, so he is more excited than anything. “It should be pretty fun,” Vasey said. In districts players can choose to play in either doubles or singles. It is up to the coaches to ultimately decide what players play singles and which participate in doubles. They consider the athletes’ preference and what will give the team the most points. Senior Matt Palmer and Vasey played doubles and placed third in the district. Senior Cody Gordon played singles and placed fourth in districts.
(TOP RIGHT) Senior Tucker Vasey serves to his districts doubles opponent. The tournament took place at Johnston during and after school. (TOP LEFT) Senior Tucker Vasey reaches to return a volley during a districts match. Vasey will play club tennis for Drake next year. (MIDDLE LEFT) Senior Ryan Palmer lines up his return in a district match on May 8. Palmer held the top slot on the varsity roster. (MIDDLE RIGHT) Senior Tucker Vasey tosses a ball up during a serve. Vasey was the number two on varsity the entire season. (BOTTOM) Senior Tucker Vasey returns a hit as his doubles partner, senior Matt Palmer, gets in position for an opponent return. Vasey and Palmer placed third in districts. Kiera Morrill/BW
May 2008
backpage
r u o y n ’s o
Plate?
t a h W
Students use personalized license plates to stand out.
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Bumper
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cars !
Students personalize the back of their cars with stickers and magnets. Match the quote with its corresponding bumper sticker. Answer below.
Compiled by Cicely Gordon, backpage editor, and Julia Manning, staff writer
“It was physical proof that I had mentally made my final decision.” -Charlie Thuente ‘08
Mike Slavin Junior Why do you have a personalized license plate? My family has had Slavin plates forever. My mom gets them. Her’s just says Slavin and mine says Slavin3. Slavin’s my name and three’s my number. How do people react to it? People always say stuff like, “Dude, that’s your last name on your license plate,” and I’m just like, “Seriously, no way?” How do you feel about having your last name as your license plate? It makes me feel extra radical. How much extra does a personalized license plate cost? I’m not sure. My mom does it all.
“My mom and step dad are avid Obama supporters. I like the way it looks on the back of my car.” -Caroline Byrd ‘09
Gabrielle Liljedahl Sophomore
“I got it on spring break. My aunt went there and I want to go there too.” -Tessa Fenimore ‘09
Who purchased the plate? My mom got it in 1999, but I started driving the car last summer, so I just got the plates. Eventually, my mom wants it back to put on her car again. What does your license plate mean? Gabrielle’s mom, Lori Liljedahl said, “It means to be in awe of God, and that is really how I feel. Nothing can compare to Him and He is literally who I look up to and admire most.” Why did you get it? Lori said, “My dad had just died of cancer, but he never suffered. He had a very peaceful death. It really inspired me. It’s funny because I used to think of it as a vanity plate, but I wasn’t being vain, I wanted to use it to acknowledge God. Sort of as a testimony.”
“It’s my favorite college football team.” -Brady Johnson ‘08
1
2
4
3
1) Thuente, 2) Johnson, 3) Fenimore, 4) Byrd